Short Summary

BRITISH TROOPS HAVE BEEN ON STANDBY DUTY SINCE SUNDAY NIGHT IN NORTHERN IRELAND, GUARDING KEY INSTALLATIONS IN THIS RIOT-TORN PROVINCE AFTER A WEEKEND OF VIOLENCE IN WHICH DEMONSTRATORS CLASHED WITH POLICE, 250 PEOPLE WERE INJURED AND TEN POST OFFICES IN THE PROVINCIAL CAPITAL, BELFAST, WERE SET ON FIRE WITH PETROL BOMBS.

Description

BRITISH TROOPS HAVE BEEN ON STANDBY DUTY SINCE SUNDAY NIGHT IN NORTHERN IRELAND, GUARDING KEY INSTALLATIONS IN THIS RIOT-TORN PROVINCE AFTER A WEEKEND OF VIOLENCE IN WHICH DEMONSTRATORS CLASHED WITH POLICE, 250 PEOPLE WERE INJURED AND TEN POST OFFICES IN THE PROVINCIAL CAPITAL, BELFAST, WERE SET ON FIRE WITH PETROL BOMBS.

THE TROOPS ARE ON DUTY TO GUARD WATER WORKS AND ELECTRICITY INSTALLATIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN TARGETS FOR RECENT ATTACKS BY SABOTEURS. A RESERVOIR AND AN ELECTRICITY PYLON WERE DAMAGED BY DYNAMITE EXPLOSIONS AT THE WEEKEND, AND IN BELFAST PEOPLE HAD TO COLLECT WATER FROM EMERGENCY SUPPLIES IN THE STREETS WHILE THE RESERVOIR WAS BEING REPAIRED. SEVERAL THOUSAND HOMES WERE WITHOUT RUNNING WATER.

THE BRITISH TROOPS, SOME OF THE 5,000 BASED IN THE PROVINCE, WERE CALLED IN AFTER AN APPEAL BY THE NORTHERN IRELAND GOVERNMENT. BUT A MINISTRY OF DEFENCE SPOKESMAN IN LONDON SAID THERE WAS NO QUESTION OF THE TROOPS BEING USED TO CONTROL CROWDS OR DEMONSTRATORS.

CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS IN NORTHERN IRELAND HAVE WARNED THAT THE PROVINCE IS ON THE VERGE OF CIVIL WAR. THE WEEKEND RIOTING, THE WORST SINCE THE RECENT TROUBLES BEGAN LAST OCTOBER, STARTED AS CIVIL RIGHTS DEMONSTRATORS, WHO ARE DEMANDING EQUAL TREATMENT FOR NORTHERN IRELAND'S CATHOLIC MINORITY, CLASHED WITH PROTESTANT EXTREMISTS. MOST OF THE INJURED WERE POLICEMEN, WHO TRIED TO STEP IN BETWEEN THE TWO FACTIONS.

THE NORTHERN IRELAND GOVERNMENT HAS SAID ITS OWN SECURITY FORCES WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED TO CLAMP DOWN ON VIOLENCE AND TERRORISM.